1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices and containers for holding and restraining various articles, and more particularly to a portable device for securing a sports ball or similar round or spherical object. The present sports ball holder is configured for placement on the floor of a motor vehicle or the like, and includes a generally hemispherical or otherwise appropriately shaped depression for holding a ball or other round object therein. An optional strap may be added to the device, to provide more secure retention of the sports ball therein. The present sports ball holder prevents movement of the ball during travel of the vehicle, and assures convenient access to the ball when desired.
2. Description of Related Art
So-called “stick and ball” sports and games are popular activities not only for school children, but for many adults as well. Such games include soccer, American and Canadian football, volleyball, baseball and softball, and other activities where a round or spherical ball is employed during play of the game.
Obviously, sports equipment, including the game balls, must be transported to and from the playing field whenever a game is scheduled. Conventionally, the sports equipment is tossed loosely in the back of the vehicle (trunk of a car, back of a station wagon or van, etc.), or perhaps placed in a sack or similar container along with any other gear or equipment that might be needed. Most of the equipment used, including uniforms, pads, etc. for individual players, is irregularly shaped, and does not tend to roll around within the vehicle during transport. However, the game balls typically used in such activities are a different matter.
Oftentimes, a relatively large vehicle (e.g., passenger van, station wagon, etc.) is used to transport team members for organized sports, particularly at the youth league level of play. In fact, the use of passenger vans for such purposes has become so common that it has led to the incorporation of the phrases “soccer van” and “soccer mom” in current American English usage. Equipment is often tossed loosely in the back of the vehicle, where the game ball is free to roll around during travel.
This often results in some inconvenience when the destination is reached, as the ball has often rolled around to become lodged beneath a passenger seat, or has otherwise moved to some difficult to access location. This is inconvenient enough during travel to the game when the ball is clean, but is all the more bothersome after the game, when the ball is soiled after perhaps a few hours of play and rolls around the vehicle interior, tracking dirt and grime on the vehicle floor as it rolls.
While this may be viewed as no more than an inconvenience with larger game balls (e.g., soccer, volleyball, etc.), with smaller balls (e.g., baseball, softball, tennis, etc.) such free movement of the game ball during vehicle travel can be potentially hazardous, as the ball may roll forward to interfere with the driver's operation of the pedals. If such occurs, the result is far more than merely inconvenient, and can potentially be tragic.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a sports ball holder for placement within a motor vehicle, for securing a sports or game ball immovably within the holder to preclude movement of the ball within the vehicle during vehicle travel. The present sports ball holder comprises a stable, multiple legged stand having a generally hemispherical or round depression in the upper center thereof. The ends of the legs may be provided with a non-skid texture or material to preclude movement of the holder. The sports ball is placed within the upper central depression, where it remains securely seated during vehicle travel. Additional accessories may be provided, such as an insert for smaller balls (e.g., baseballs, tennis balls, etc.) or irregularly shaped balls (e.g., American and Canadian footballs, rugby balls, etc.), a net or pouch attachment for holding personal items (e.g., keys, watch, etc.) which the player does not wish to carry during play of the game, and/or a retaining strap to provide additional security for the game ball being held within the device.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventors are aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,969 issued on May 26, 1970 to Jack H. Roff, titled “Bumper Jack Container Assembly,” describes a low and wide container with a lid closure, for securing the various components required for tire removal and replacement on a vehicle. The interior of the Roff device is fitted to hold each of the specifically shaped components (jack base, jack column, jack handle and lug wrench, and bumper shoe) immovably in place. No space is provided for securing a relatively large sports ball, and the relatively low, flat configuration with its lid closure precludes placement of such a ball therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,939 issued on Apr. 3, 1974 to Victor W. Cornelius, titled “Removable Vehicle Tray,” describes a small, generally rectangular, open container for holding one or more drink containers, i.e., a “cup holder.” The Cornelius device includes hook and loop pile material disposed on the bottom surface thereof, which engages complementary material adhesively secured to the vehicle seat or dash (not the floor). The small size of the Cornelius container, its cooperating adhesively attached fastening material, and teaching away from the mounting of such a device to the vehicle floor, result in a device which is structurally and functionally dissimilar to the present ball holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,773 issued on Aug. 1, 1978 to Terry M. Haber, titled “Combination Package And Rack For Cue Balls,” describes a double level container for holding two vertically stacked layers of pool balls therein, with a cover overlay. Each level includes a plurality of holes (not depressions) therein, for securing a number of pool balls therein. The second level is also configured for use as a rack, for positioning the conventional fifteen pool balls in a triangular array. No means is provided for securing the device to an underlying surface, and in fact the use of a portion of the device as a rack, teaches away from such securing of the device to an underlying surface, whereas securing to an underlying surface is desirable in the environment of the present sports ball holder invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,883 issued on Jul. 5, 1988 to Jeffrey W. Grzywa, titled “Automobile Trunk Organizer,” describes a “caddy” type tray having a series of receptacles formed therein for holding a number of different articles (cans, containers, small tools and rags, etc.). Grzywa provides some form of mating floor attachment permanently secured thereto, along with attachments disposed along the bottom surface of his device. Also, Grzywa does not provide a single, hemispherical depression in his container for holding a relatively large sports ball, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,726 issued on Oct. 25, 1988 to Mykl S. Pratt, titled “Packaging,” describes a flat panel having a series of cutouts and flaps for configuring the device to fit about a spherical object. Two of the panels have semicircular cutouts which are opposed when they face one another, and form diagonal members in a box-like structure for holding a ball therein. While the Pratt container securely holds a ball therein, it must be disassembled or opened to install and remove the ball therefrom. No means is provided for holding different size balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,931 issued on Apr. 18, 1989 to Richard E. Johnson, titled “Multipurpose Article Holding Tray,” describes a double stacked assembly having a lower portion which positively but removably secures to the vehicle interior structure, and an upper portion which nests in the top of the lower portion. A plate is permanently secured to the vehicle interior structure, for removably securing the lower portion of the assembly thereto. The lower portion has a series of slots therein, for holding cassette tapes or the like. The upper portion is configured similarly to the trunk organizer of the Grzywa '883 U.S. patent discussed further above, with no means for nesting a sports ball in a hemispherical receptacle being provided by Johnson.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,745 issued on Jun. 13, 1989 to Joseph P. Haydock, titled “Trunk Organizer,” describes an assembly of stick-like components, each formed of a resilient material and coated with a rubberized surface and/or having one material of cooperating hook and loop material disposed on the surface(s) thereof. The components may be arranged as desired to secure oddly shaped articles in the trunk of a vehicle. No single holder having a hemispherical receptacle for holding a sports ball, is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,964 issued on Jun. 25, 1991 to George A. Phirippidis, titled “Universal Modular Catalog And Samples Organizer For Vehicles,” describes a series of embodiments of generally rectangular partitioned boxes which essentially fill the entire trunk space of a vehicle. No smaller holder providing a hemispherical receptacle for a ball or the like, is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,922 issued on Nov. 19, 1991 to Charles C. Harris, titled “Container Holding System,” describes a series of container embodiments, each of which includes a series of patches of hook elements of hook and loop fastening material for securing to a pile floor carpeting material or similar material. The embodiment most closely related to the present invention, comprises a rectangular open container which may be removably secured to a shelf within the vehicle. Another embodiment comprises a double nesting container which sandwiches the lower edge of an inverted closure bag therebetween, for the carriage of floral arrangements and the like. None of the embodiments is suitable for carrying or holding a sports ball therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,906 issued on Feb. 7, 1995 to Shihnan Lai, titled “Ball Holder,” describes an assembly comprising a pair of ring-like end components which are secured about opposite sides of a ball by a string or the like which is strung back and forth between the two end components to secure them to the ball. One of the end components may carry an inflation tool, if so desired. No means is provided for securing the Lai holder to another object (vehicle floor, etc.), and the rounded external contours of the ball extend between the ring-like components. Thus, the Lai ball holder would have little resistance to rolling around within the interior of a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. Also, while Lai provides external attachment for an inflation tool or the like, he does not provide any additional storage net or pouch for loose articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,328 issued on Oct. 31, 1995 to Ricky D. Chandler et al., titled “Ball Carrier Apparatus,” describes a tubular device which completely encloses a number of balls therein. A rack extends from the ends of the tube, with the rack having clips for holding baseball bats or the like therefrom. The entire apparatus is adapted to secure to a vertical surface (fence, etc.). The Chandler et al. device cannot be adapted for placement upon a vehicle floor, for securing a sports ball in the top thereof where it is readily accessible without opening the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,056 issued on Dec. 9, 1997 to Anthony J. Bender et al., titled “Ball Package,” describes a display container comprising an upper and a lower portion folded from flat sheet material. The two portions sandwich a ball therebetween, and are secured together by four columns and corresponding plastic screws or other fasteners. While the Bender et al. container certainly keeps a ball contained therein from rolling around, the container must be disassembled each time it is desired to remove the ball therefrom. No open, hemispherical receptacle for placing a ball therein, is provided by Bender et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,010 issued on Mar. 14, 2000 to Ryan Seyffert et al., titled “Game Ball Display Box And Method For Assembling Same,” describes a generally cubical container having circular openings in each face. The opposite end faces are tucked in around a ball placed therein, to secure the ball in place. As in the case of the Bender et al. container, the Seyffert et al. container must be opened to access a ball placed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,692 issued on Mar. 13, 2001 to William Van Ness et al., titled “Reduced Material Box Design For Round Objects,” describes a rectangular box having round openings in opposite sides thereof, through which a ball contained therein protrudes. The Van Ness et al. container thus more closely resembles the containers of the Bender et al. '056 and Seyffert et al. '010 U.S. patents, than it does the present ball holder.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2001/19,072 published on Sep. 6, 2001 to Charles Wu, titled “Sheet Or Tissue Dispenser Box Holder For Clinic, Vehicle, Factory, Or Household Applications,” describes a flaccid net which may be extended around an object (e.g., rectangular tissue dispensing box) to hold the object. The “bag shaped container” (per the Wu abstract) cannot provide a flat surface or rigid corners when wrapped around a ball, to prevent the ball from rolling, as provided by the present ball holder.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. D-434,650 issued on Dec. 5, 2000 to Neall W. Humphrey, titled “Package,” illustrates a design comprising a rectangular box having opposite open ends and circular openings in the top and bottom thereof. The Humphrey package design more closely resembles the rectangular ball holder box of the Van Ness '692 U.S. patent, than it does the present sports ball holder invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.